Duck and Toad

Our house is an absolute disaster. We have begun tearing up the floors downstairs and painting, plus 5 kids, and 4 of them being sick with a cold. Many days I think we are crazy. The mess might actually make me more crazy than the kids. I don't deal well with any sort of change regarding house mess. It makes me so frustrated. Unfortunately I think this is what my summer will look like with Anthony working extra hours like usual. We will finish this in time to head upstairs and begin adding bookshelves and decor to the home school room. I have to keep reminding myself of the end result.

All that to say after several weekends of not enjoying the wonderful summer weather we decided to forgo the work and mess and enjoy it. 

Lilliana has been asking the past week to learn to ride her bike without training wheels. This is a huge step. She really has never liked riding a bike. She would run on walks and the boys would ride full steam ahead. She got a new bike at Grandma's house and I think that spurred the interest. So we took the afternoon and went out to teach her. I couldn't be more proud of her! She cried at first because she was scared, but she had it within minutes. She did better than Eli in this aspect. Eli gave up his first time and wouldn't try for several weeks. 

We came home and mowed the lawn and played outside. The kids collected probably 5 toads and studied them. Ari loves toads and probably if we had a place to put them he would have 20 as pets. He giggles and laughs at them so much.

We then enjoyed a picnic dinner. The kids love to eat outside. I do as long as the mosquitoes are not bad. Thank goodness they have not been. The highlight of the evening was while we were at the end of our dinner we heard a bird. We turn around and a little duckling had wandered into our yard. The kids said it was a chick. Anthony and I looked at each other puzzled and said that is a duck. We realized he was too small to be by himself and there was no mother or other ducks around. Besides the fact it was odd to have a wild duck in town. At this point I went to get him and he had escaped to the neighbors. We took some time to capture him and look for the mom. The kids loved looking at him and holding him. In the end we took him to a friend's house that has had ducks.

I am thankful for the impromptu nature study lesson we had. I know the kids will remember it for their life probably. We are so enjoying this beautiful summer weather. 

10 on 10 June 2016

It has been so many months since I have done a 10 on 10 and also done it in a blog circle. Several other photographer friends and I started this several years ago. It may be going on 2 or 3. I can't remember. We have all had life moments come up in the past few years and taken breaks. We also have been able to add more to our group which has been wonderful. We hopefully are starting it again. The goal is to take 10 photos in a day every hour and post on the 10th of each month. That doesn't always happen for me or others I am sure, but I try. Be sure to follow the link at the bottom of the post to see many other talented photographers 10 on 10. 

This is what I woke up to. I am sure my house is not the only Star Wars crazed house in the world. Everything is a Sith Lord or Light Saber. 

I then rolled over to these sweet girls and they were happy and chatty as could be. 

I enjoyed my coffee and Bible reading in the sun. I have been working really hard on this in the mornings as it really helps me have Grace with these hooligans throughout the day. Also, I am working on my self portraits for motherhood series so I knew I wanted several self portraits in todays 10 on 10!

All these girl's rolls. Need I say more.....

Me and this sweet girl took our time together in the garden picking strawberries. We are loving having our own patch this year.

I came inside to the boys keeping the babies calm and saw this which melted my heart. 

After nap it was the typical afternoon play outside. I try to make it out when I can. The babies were still asleep so I went out and enjoyed watching them for a bit.

Anthony arrived home sooner than expected and took some time with the girls. 

I had dinner in the crockpot thankfully because witching hour struck and this little series is how it went and 3 extra photos:) 

Please click on Angela's  link to follow the blog circle.  http://www.redmondkids.com/strawberry-picking-pictures-10-on-10-june-2016-edition

Motherhood Week 3

Balance and The BFG

At this season in my life of Motherhood the hardest thing I struggle with on a daily basis and many days go to bed with guilt is balancing my time with each child. Before the babies were born Eli and I did school everyday. I had a good hour to hour and half to just focus on him and help him. This worked great because after that he was content to not have mom around. Lilliana would do a tiny bit of school and enjoy cooking, cleaning, or just visiting with me. Ari took the rest of the time with whatever help, cuddling, or tantrum throwing he needed. I mean reassurance he needed 

After the babies were born for a good month I felt so sad because I just could not give the kids what they needed. They were sick at one point and I couldn't even take care of them as I was still healing from my c section and just needed rest. Everybody knows in this house I am the one that takes care of sick kids. Anthony always offers to help, but he has to work and I hate keeping him up. So I will get up 20 times to help sick kids. It was heartbreaking when I couldn't for me. Then I just couldn't even make them their lunch and other things. I had been practicing months before of them doing these things on their own, but when it happened a tiny piece of my heart broke. I was overjoyed as they were becoming independent, but I knew this is one step closer to not needing me or wanting me. I remember last month looking into all their eyes and realizing in the blur of babies and postpartum healing my 3 older children had lost more of their baby/child like appearances. They were maturing. I realized at that point I had to try to find a good balance to spreading myself to all five. I just couldn't miss any more.


I am still working on it and many days are more of a struggle than not. The babies are growing out of the constant crying in the evening so that helps. Ari requires a lot of attention. We put him down at 7:30 tonight because of over tiredness. In usual Ari fashion he just barely fell asleep at 9:45. Sigh! Lilliana hangs out with me most days helping with the babies, cooking, cleaning, sewing, and coloring. She just loves to be around me. The real struggle I found was Eli. He is such a helper, but I realized I was missing our reading/time together. I went to our library of books and found a book we never go to last year during school and a favorite of mine, the BFG. Our school books are pretty challenging and I am very picky about what I will read to them. I won't read what we refer to as twaddle. I want good literature and ideas entering their mind. The BFG might be considered that, but I don't care. We needed something fun just for this season and not a lot of mental work used  It since has become our ritual to sit together and read and talk while Anthony puts Lilliana and Ari to bed. It started with me having a baby on my lap while we did this, but now we are down to just Eli and I. I was even more thrilled when we discovered the movie is coming out. He and I will get to go to the movie together. He loves to be read to, but is not the biggest fan of reading himself even though he is excellent at it. So, we work on this during that time also.

I let him take the photos tonight and in typical Eli fashion there was clown moments.  A perfect example was when I was setting focus and asked him to wait a second, and he continued right when I was in front of the camera. His words, "I took a picture of your butt. HAHAHA." I know raising such a gentleman I am. We are working on it. The kid loves to antagonize!

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While I still don't have the balance thing completely down, and probably never will, it is getting better. I plan to make this BFG book a tradition for all the kids. The next person I have to work on the balance with is Lilliana and I am hoping to begin working on that this week. 

3 short months

I can't believe these girls are already 3 months. One of these days I will get their actual pictures posted on the 1st. Then again maybe I won't because five kids! I feel like they were just born. They are getting huge and I am learning this age is the toughest for packing them around and  in general taking care of them,  because they still don't support themselves very well. They also still need a lot of comfort and holding. Many moments I am packing around 26 lbs. of floppy weight. They have gone from not even being on the growth chart for their age to 50-52% I am thrilled! All that nursing is paying off.  They moved from size 1 diapers to size 2 and actually are fast growing out of those. I thought we would hang around there for a bit, but I am noticing they are quickly growing to the point of them going to be too small soon. I had also just adjusted their cloth diaper snaps and noticed again today it is time to adjust again. They moved from 0-3 to 3-6 months right on schedule. I was happy about that as it meant summer rompers! Babies and rompers are my favorite. 

Unfortunately sickness hit our house about a week ago and has hit all the kids hard except Annalise. She had one rough day and then has been happy. This has meant lots of snuggles and crying. I finally decided I had to get their pictures done today and they really do not show their true personalities, but for this moment it shows them. I did take these few last week. 

Annalise  or Bananalise as she lovingly gets called has become a chatter box. She also has become so smiley and is losing that serious face she always has. She adores her daddy and Eli. She loves to be worn in the ergo and will sleep in her crib no problems. She also likes to be held in general more than Daphne. 

Oh how she has grown.....

This is how she felt about pictures today. 

Daphne sweet Daphne also known now as Dafernee much to my displeasure is happy all the time. These pictures really do not show it, because she is sick. Regardless even sick and can't breath the girl is all smiles. She wiggles all over when she gets excited. She loves her big sister and mom. She is the best sleeper of any of our kids so far and frequently sleeps through the night for me. She prefers to be worn in the ring sling or tandem wrapped. I can put her in either and she is asleep in less than five minutes. 

I can't believe how much this little chunk has grown. She is getting rolls galore. There use to be a noticeable difference in size between her and Annalise, but there isn't anymore. According to my scale they are ounces in size within each other. It use to be a pound to a pound and half difference. She loves to eat. 

I am loving the stage they are moving into. The newborn stage is always my favorite. I get so sad when we leave it, but I know that this is when the fun begins. They are so fun! 

Motherhood Week 2

I am so glad I took on this project. It has been wonderful for me and given me a lot of reflection. 

Weekend Mornings 

The kids love to sneak in on weekend mornings to see us. Before the babies they came to see Anthony and I. Now that the babies are here we are second rate. They try to be quiet, but I can hear them coming in my sleep. Their tiny feet come through the homeschool room and then our door creaks open. Usually they say something like "SHHHH they are sleeping" only really loud. By this point I know my sleep is over. I think any parent can relate. Then they crawl in bed and snuggle. It begins nice and calmly. 

Then of course they begin to get crazy. 

Then it is an all out circus. 

By this point we have to send them downstairs because they are two wound after a few laughs. Regardless, I look forward to our weekend morning snuggles and circus. 

Breastfeeding 

This is probably going to come as a shock, but I have a secret. I would use the word hate, but that is pretty strong. So instead I LOATHE breastfeeding. I know ironic right. The truth is I have never ever really enjoyed it. It was just kind of the thing that I do. Some moms love it and I applaud them. I am not one of them. It takes time and yep I am selfish it always interrupts what I am doing. So the question probably could be asked why do I breastfeed my kids and all of them for over a year?  A lot of factors play into this. First, when I use to work at a daycare I could not stand the smell of formula. I pretty much made up my mind then I would nurse my babies. Second financially it makes the most sense! I mean really truly why would I not save the money. If I can cloth diaper I can surely nurse them. Thirdly, when I was pregnant with Eli I read an amazing book that put a huge perspective on it for me plus it gave me valuable knowledge. Breastfeeding really is best. This is not to shame anybody that does not. Nope, you do what is right for you. Even though I hate it  this is what is right for me. I will always be a huge advocate for breastfeeding but I still very much dislike it.

I debated documenting this journey with the twins, but in the end I knew I needed to. It has been a huge journey and the thing I was worried about most for having twins. The first month was so difficult with them. They were early and just had terrible latches. I literally would sit in this position with this huge pillow crying and it taking everything not to throw them off of me. Tandem nursing made my skin crawl. I couldn't stand to listen to one cry though. It all just would give me severe anxiety. Thankfully I stuck to it. Anthony helped so much and even on little sleep would help me through the night. We don't tandem as much anymore as they now wake up within 30 minutes of each other. That being said last night when they were both crying to eat I decided it was time to set up the big nursing pillow and document. We have spent hours and hours in this position so I am so glad I have this. It has also meant lots of Netflix watched, FB posts read, internet articles read, books read, research done, and photobooks begun and finished all from my phone. Technology is an amazing thing. I can also say officially 3 months exclusively breastfed as today. I am still growing this girls and that is an accomplishment even if I don't enjoy it all the time. They are getting fun and smiling and playing while they nurse, so that makes it a lot better.